1. Field
Embodiments disclosed herein relate to a sensor module which is provided with a sensor to sense an obstacle and prevent the sensor from erroneously sensing an obstacle, and a robot cleaner having the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
A robot cleaner refers to an apparatus which autonomously travels about an area to be cleaned without user manipulation to perform cleaning by suctioning in foreign substances such as dust on the surface of a floor. The robot cleaner determines, through an obstacle sensing sensor, a distance to an obstacle such as furniture, office supplies and walls arranged in an area to be cleaned, and cleans the area, changing the travel direction by selectively driving a left wheel motor and a right wheel motor.
The obstacle sensing sensor of the robot cleaner may be an optical sensor. The obstacle sensing sensor may include a light emitting unit to emit light and a light receiving unit to receive light emitted from the light emitting unit and reflected from an obstacle. According to light reflected from the obstacle transmitted to the light receiving unit, the distance to the obstacle may be measured.
A housing forming the external appearance of the robot cleaner may be provided with a transparent sensor window. Light emitted from the light emitting unit may be transmitted to the outside through the sensor window. At this time, the light emitted from the light emitting unit may not be transmitted to the outside, but may be reflected from the inner surface of the sensor window and be incident on the light receiving unit. In the case that the light reflected from the sensor window is incident on the light receiving unit, the robot cleaner may erroneously act as if there is an obstacle in front thereof, thereby failing to accurately perform sensing of an obstacle.